ARTICLES

At just 13 years old, Natalia’s childhood was shattered by war. Forced to flee her home in Ukraine as the Nazis advanced, she survived World War II by working in a factory tied to the war effort. Against overwhelming odds, she lived through one of history’s darkest chapters and eventually returned to rebuild her life.

Decades later, war once again invaded her world. As missiles struck Ukrainian cities and entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, Natalia found herself reliving memories she had spent a lifetime trying to overcome. “A rocket hit our neighborhood in the middle of the night,” she recalled. “More than 30 people in my community were killed.”

At 95 years old, Natalia made the difficult journey to Israel, seeking safety and a new beginning. But arriving as a frail senior with limited mobility brought new challenges. Confined to a wheelchair, she needed an apartment with elevator access. She had no proper furniture, limited resources, and struggled to secure enough food. In a new country, far from everything familiar, she faced her later years alone.

That is when compassionate friends stepped in.

Through CBN Israel, caring supporters began delivering regular food packages and essential groceries. More than nourishment, those visits brought comfort and connection. Donors also provided a special bed and basic furniture, transforming her empty apartment into a place of dignity and rest.

“Thank you so much for your generous help,” Natalia shared. “I am overjoyed to receive the food and groceries, and so grateful for the furniture. Your kindness means more than you know.”

Because of faithful friends like you, Holocaust survivors, refugees, and vulnerable seniors in Israel are not forgotten. Your compassion provides meals, shelter, and hope to those rebuilding their lives after unimaginable loss.

Thank you for standing with Israel’s survivors and bringing light into their darkest moments!

GIVE TODAY

By Stephen Faircloth

Ein Gedi, which means “spring of the young goat,” is a place of life in the midst of barrenness. Located along the western shore of the Dead Sea, it is the largest oasis in the region, surrounded by dry, rugged wilderness. Yet from its rocky hills flow fresh springs that never cease, turning desert into a place of beauty and provision.

Four main springs supply water year-round, feeding streams that run through the valleys of Nahal David and Nahal Arugot. In a land where water is scarce, Ein Gedi stands as a reminder that God can bring abundance where none seems possible.

For thousands of years, people have been drawn to this oasis. Its history stretches back to ancient times, but for many readers of Scripture, Ein Gedi is most closely associated with David. When he fled from King Saul, it was here, among the caves and cliffs, that he found refuge (1 Samuel 24). Surrounded by danger, David hid in the wilderness, yet he also experienced God’s protection and provision.

Ein Gedi was more than a hiding place. It was a place of decision. In one of its caves, David had the opportunity to take Saul’s life and end his suffering. Instead, he chose restraint. He trusted God’s timing rather than forcing his own outcome. In that moment, the quiet streams and rugged hills of Ein Gedi became a setting for faith, patience, and obedience.

The oasis itself supported life in remarkable ways. Its steady water supply allowed for the growth of date palms and rare plants used in perfumes. Even in an arid environment, it became a place of fruitfulness and trade. What looked like wilderness from a distance held hidden resources that sustained many.

That truth speaks to our lives as well. There are seasons when we feel like we are walking through a desert. Circumstances may seem dry, uncertain, or even threatening. Like David, we may find ourselves in places we did not choose, waiting for God to act.

Yet Ein Gedi reminds us that even in the wilderness, God provides springs. He meets us in hidden places. He sustains us when resources seem scarce. And sometimes, He uses those very seasons to shape our character, teaching us to trust Him more deeply.

David did not remain in hiding forever. The same God who sustained him in the caves eventually brought him into his calling. But it was in places like Ein Gedi that his faith was refined.

When we find ourselves in our own wilderness seasons, we can take heart. God has not abandoned us. He is present, providing what we need, even if it comes in unexpected ways. In the desert, there are still streams.

Stephen Faircloth is the President of CBN Israel, an initiative dedicated to sharing the true story of the Jewish nation and inspiring a global community of Christians to stand with Israel and support her people in need. Our vision is to reshape the global conversation about Israel by fostering understanding, hope, and healing between Jews and Christians around the world. For more than 50 years, the Christian Broadcasting Network has supported Israel. By joining CBN Israel, you become part of this enduring legacy, transforming lives today and strengthening Christian support for Israel for generations to come.

“He sought God throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear of God. During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success” (2 Chronicles 26:5).

King Uzziah began his life with great promise. Early in his reign, he made a deliberate choice to seek God. He surrounded himself with wise counsel, listened to instruction, and walked in reverence before the Lord. And as long as he continued on that path, his life flourished.

But his story does not end the way it began. Over time, Uzziah drifted. Success led to pride, and pride led to disobedience. The king who once sought God began to rely on himself. What started as a life marked by faithfulness ended in tragedy. His life stands as both an encouragement and a warning.

What does it really mean to seek God? Scripture makes it clear that seeking God is not merely an emotional experience. It is not defined by feelings or fleeting moments of inspiration. To seek God is to walk in reverence before Him, and that reverence is expressed through obedience. It is choosing His ways daily, even in small and unseen decisions. Yet the danger comes when we begin well but fail to continue.

It is possible to start with sincere devotion and slowly shift our focus. We may still speak about God, still identify as people of faith, yet our actions reveal that something else has taken His place. Pride can quietly replace dependence. Self-confidence can overshadow trust.

Seeking God is not a one-time decision. It is a daily posture. Each day presents us with the opportunity to choose again. Will we listen? Will we obey? Will we walk in humility before Him?

The life of Uzziah reminds us that consistency matters. Finishing well is just as important as starting well. God is not looking for occasional moments of devotion, but for hearts that remain turned toward Him over time.

When we truly seek Him, it shows in how we live. Our priorities shift. Our decisions reflect His truth. Our lives begin to align with His will. And in that place, we find what we are truly searching for.

PRAYER

Father, help us seek You not just in words, but in how we live each day. Guard our hearts from pride and self-reliance. Teach us to walk in humility and obedience, so that our lives remain anchored in You. Amen.

By Stephen Faircloth

Just a few miles north of Nazareth, across the Beit Netofa Valley, lie the remains of the ancient village of Yodfat. In the time of Jesus, it would have been an easy day’s walk from His hometown. Nestled among the hills of Galilee, Yodfat was a working village where daily life revolved around simple but essential tasks. Families raised sheep and goats, spun wool into thread, and wove it into cloth. The discovery of loom weights and pottery fragments reveals a community shaped by labor, creativity, and trade.

Yodfat gives us a glimpse into the kind of places where Jesus lived and ministered. These were not grand cities or centers of power, but ordinary villages filled with people trying to provide for their families and remain faithful to God. In places like this, Jesus taught, healed, and shared the message of the kingdom.

The village also carries a sobering history. During the First Jewish Revolt, it became a fortified stronghold. The Roman army eventually surrounded it, building a ramp to breach its defenses. The historian Josephus, who was present during the siege, described the desperation of those final days. In the end, the village was destroyed and never rebuilt, leaving behind a silent testimony to both human struggle and the passing nature of earthly life.

Yet even in its ruins, Yodfat speaks. Archaeological findings reveal a community marked by both diversity and devotion. Some homes show signs of wealth, with decorative elements similar to those found in Jerusalem. Others reflect the lives of artisans and laborers. There were merchants, craftsmen, and undoubtedly the poor, all living side by side.

More importantly, the remains point to a people committed to their faith. Ritual immersion pools and stone vessels indicate careful attention to purity laws. The absence of certain animal remains reflects adherence to dietary practices found in the Torah. This was a community seeking to honor God in the rhythms of everyday life.

These were the kinds of people who heard Jesus’ voice. When we consider Yodfat, we are reminded that God’s work often unfolds in ordinary places. Jesus did not limit His ministry to prominent cities or influential leaders. He walked through villages like this one, meeting people in their homes, their fields, and their places of work.

Yodfat also reminds us of how quickly circumstances can change. A thriving village became a ruin within a generation. What once felt stable disappeared. Yet God’s purposes continued. The message Jesus proclaimed in those hills did not end with the destruction of a village. It carried forward, reaching far beyond Galilee.

As we reflect on Yodfat, we are invited to consider our own lives. We may not live in ancient villages, but our daily routines are not so different. We work, we provide, we navigate challenges, and we seek meaning in the midst of it all.

God meets us there. He meets us in the ordinary, in the familiar places where life unfolds day by day. Just as Jesus walked the hills of Galilee, He walks with us now, calling us to live faithfully in our own time and place.

Stephen Faircloth is the President of CBN Israel, an initiative dedicated to sharing the true story of the Jewish nation and inspiring a global community of Christians to stand with Israel and support her people in need. Our vision is to reshape the global conversation about Israel by fostering understanding, hope, and healing between Jews and Christians around the world. For more than 50 years, the Christian Broadcasting Network has supported Israel. By joining CBN Israel, you become part of this enduring legacy, transforming lives today and strengthening Christian support for Israel for generations to come.

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ… standing firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

What does your life communicate about your faith? Not just in words, but in daily choices, attitudes, and responses. Paul’s encouragement to the believers in Philippi invites us to consider not only how we live, but why it matters.

Paul wrote this letter with deep joy. Though he had faced hardship and opposition in Philippi, he later heard that the believers there were growing strong in their faith. They had not given up. They were standing firm despite pressure. That news filled him with gratitude, but also with purpose. He urged them to continue living in a way that reflected the gospel they believed.

At first glance, his instruction sounds personal: live a life worthy of the gospel. But Paul quickly widens the focus. He speaks of standing firm “in one Spirit” and striving “together as one.” In other words, the way each person lives affects the strength of the whole community.

This challenges the way we often think. Faith can feel like a private matter, something between us and God alone. But Scripture consistently points us toward something bigger. Our walk with Christ is personal, but it is never meant to be isolated. We belong to a larger body, a people, a shared witness.

Every act of faithfulness strengthens that witness. Every compromise weakens it. When we choose integrity, we encourage others to stand firm. When we pursue humility, we help create unity. When we remain steady in difficult moments, we give courage to those around us. Our lives become threads woven into something greater than ourselves.

Paul also reminds the Philippians not to be intimidated by opposition. Living for Christ will not always be easy. There will be resistance, misunderstanding, and pressure to conform. But when believers stand together, rooted in the same Spirit, they find strength that goes beyond what any individual could carry alone.

So, the question becomes more than “How am I living?” It becomes, “How is my life shaping the community God has placed me in?”

A life worthy of the gospel is not about perfection. It is about alignment. It is about allowing the truth of Christ to shape how we think, act, and relate to others. And as we do, we become part of a community that reflects His character to the world.

Your faith matters. Not only for you, but for those walking beside you.

PRAYER

Father, help us live in a way that reflects Your gospel each day. Shape our lives so that we strengthen and encourage those around us. Unite us in Your Spirit and make us a community that honors You. Amen.

Ziva has always lived in a close-knit neighborhood in Beit Shemesh, where families share life’s joys and burdens. That sense of community was shattered in March 2026 when an Iranian ballistic missile struck her area directly, devastating blocks of apartment buildings and displacing hundreds of residents.

At first, Ziva thought the blast was a construction accident. Then the horrifying reality became clear. Nine people were killed, including a member of her extended family. Many others, including children, were rushed to hospitals for surgery after suffering severe injuries. The neighborhood she once knew was left covered in rubble and broken glass.

For Ziva, the trauma has been overwhelming. A mother of four children with special needs, she now struggles with post-traumatic stress while trying to care for her family. The explosion left her too shaken to immediately return to her apartment. “I don’t have the headspace,” she admitted, describing the urgent need for food, clothing, and a safe roof over their heads.

As sirens continued to sound across Israel, fear remained a daily reality for families like hers. With over 250 people displaced and entire buildings deemed unsafe, the path forward feels uncertain.

But in the midst of this crisis, caring and compassionate friends like you were there.

Thanks to the support of generous donors, CBN Israel immediately reached out to Beit Shemesh to provide urgent relief. Food, emergency supplies, and practical assistance were given to families who had lost so much in a single moment. The steadfast partnership of friends like you became a lifeline for Ziva and those facing sudden homelessness and trauma.

Your gifts to CBN Israel can bring hope and stability to families torn apart by war. Mothers, children, and entire communities can receive the help they desperately need as they begin the long process of rebuilding.

Please join us today in standing with Israel’s families in their time of greatest need.

GIVE TODAY

“If you carefully obey my commands I am giving you today, to love the Lord your God and worship Him with all your heart and all your soul, I will provide rain for your land in the proper time, the autumn and spring rains, and you will harvest your grain, new wine, and oil. I will provide grass in your fields for your livestock. You will eat and be satisfied” (Deuteronomy 11:13-15 hcsb).

In an agricultural world where farmers depended entirely on rain, timing could mean the difference between life and loss. If the rains came too early, the crops could be ruined. If they came too late, the fields would dry out and die. Everything depended not just on rain, but on rain arriving at the right time.

As the people of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, God gave them a promise that required trust. Unlike Egypt, where irrigation systems could control water, this new land depended on rain from heaven. Survival would rest in God’s hands.

They would plant their fields and wait. Imagine the tension of that waiting. Seeds buried in the soil, no visible growth, eyes scanning the sky day after day. Would the rain come? Would it come in time?

God’s promise was clear. If they loved Him, obeyed Him, and remained faithful, He would send the rain in its season. He would provide what they needed, exactly when they needed it.

But the temptation was real. Other nations worshiped gods they believed controlled rain and fertility. Turning to those gods offered a sense of control, a way to ease uncertainty. It was a way of saying, “What if God doesn’t come through?”

We may not bow to ancient idols, but the struggle is familiar. When God’s timing feels slow or uncertain, we look for ways to take control. We try to secure outcomes on our own. We place our trust in what we can see, manage, or manipulate.

Yet God calls us to a different posture. He invites us to trust Him, not only for provision, but for timing. The rain does come. But it comes in its season.

There are seasons in our lives when we are planting and waiting, when nothing seems to be happening. Prayers feel unanswered. Progress feels delayed. But just as the farmer trusts that growth is happening beneath the surface, we are called to trust that God is at work even when we cannot see it.

God is not late. He is precise. He knows when to send what we need. His provision is not random. It is intentional, timely, and sufficient. When we walk in trust and obedience, we can rest in the assurance that He will care for us.

The question is not whether God will provide, but whether we will trust Him while we wait.

PRAYER

Father, teach us to trust Your timing. When we feel anxious or uncertain, remind us that You see what we cannot. Help us remain faithful and patient, knowing that You will provide exactly what we need in the right season. Amen.